In a surprising move, Mission: Impossible filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie has parted ways with his entire representation team. He has cut ties with his agents at CAA, Key Creatives manager Ken Kamins and attorney David Fox, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.
He is now repped by Matt Galsor of Greenberg Glusker, who also happens to be Tom Cruise’s attorney.
The move is causing waves, as his team had been with him for years as he climbed the ranks from screenwriter to Cruise collaborator and franchise filmmaker. McQuarrie was an almost unstoppable force until this past summer’s Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One, which Hollywood had high hopes for in light of 2022 hit Top Gun: Maverick, which McQuarrie produced and co-wrote, as well as in light of the well regarded previous installment, Mission: Impossible Fallout.
But Dead Reckoning faced headwinds, opening one week before the box office double whammy of Barbie and Oppenheimer and grossing $568.8 million. That’s a strong figure for most movies, but below expectations for a $300 million tentpole.
McQuarrie is currently at work on a followup to Dead Reckoning and also is developing a much-touted movie to be shot in space, starring Cruise and to be directed by Doug Liman.
It is unclear what prompted the move, although one source said McQuarrie wanted to go in a new direction. Going the solo lawyer route in Hollywood is rare, although actors of certain stature, such as Bill Murray, have done it. More rare is a filmmaker choosing that path. But McQuarrie is at a point in his career where he is only working with people with which he has strong relationships, thus lessening the need for someone like an agent or manager who could eat away at his overall pay.
Deadline first reported the news.
